Hydrangea plant named ‘Bokratorch’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Bokratorch’, characterized by its compact and outwardly spreading plant habit; and inflorescences with white and red purple-colored flowers that with development become purple pink in color.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Bokratorch’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Hydrangea Plant Named ‘Bokraplume’ U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/315,154.

Applicant: Kees Jan Kraan .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea paniculata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bokratorch’.

The new Hydrangea plant is the product of an open-pollination occurring in July, 2003 in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The female, or seed, parent is an unnamed seedling selection of Hydrangea paniculata, not patented and the male, or pollen, parent is an unknown selection of Hydrangea paniculata. The new Hydrangea was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands during the summer of 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands since the summer of 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bokratorch’ . These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bokratorch’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea:

-   -   1. Compact and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Inflorescences with white and red purple-colored flowers that         become purple pink in color with development.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of Hydrangea ‘Bokraplume’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/315,154. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Bokraplume’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are broader than plants of         ‘Bokraplume’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have smaller panicles than plants         of ‘Bokraplume’.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea and ‘Bokraplume’ differ in         sterile flower color.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of Hydrangea ‘Kyushu’, not patented. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Kyushu’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of         ‘Kyushu’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Hydrangea become purple pink in         color with development whereas flowers of plants of ‘Kyushu’         become off-white to brown with development.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can also be compared to plants of Hydrangea ‘Pink Diamond’, not patented. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Pink Diamond’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of         ‘Pink Diamond’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have smaller panicles than plants         of ‘Pink Diamond’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color value cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Bokratorch’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Bokratorch’.

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical developing inflorescence of ‘Bokratorch’.

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical developed inflorescence of ‘Bokratorch’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the spring and summer in Boskoop, The Netherlands, in an outdoor nursery and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 16° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea had been growing for four years when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea paniculata ‘Bokratorch’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Hydrangea paniculata, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Hydrangea             paniculata, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Method.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 25 days at temperatures of 22°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three months at             temperatures of 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, moderately fleshy;             light brown in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Compact and outwardly spreading plant             habit; broad inverted triangle. Moderately strong lateral             branches; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 79.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 131.8 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 35             lateral branches per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 52.6 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Internode length: About 5.7 cm. Texture, developing             and fully developed: Smooth, glabrous. Angle: About 45° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Color, developing: Close to             187C. Color, fully developed: Close to 199A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 10.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute to short apiculate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             slightly rugose.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between 144A and             146A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Between 143A and 144A;             venation, close to 147C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138B to 138C; venation, between 147C and             148C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Color, upper surface: Close to 183A to 183B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 177B to 177C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single fertile and sterile flowers             arranged on terminal lacecap panicles; panicles roughly             conical. Flowers face upright to outward.         -   Fragrance.—Sweet, moderate.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering during the             summer to the late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Fertile flowers last about one week on the             plant and sterile flowers last about three weeks on the             plant; fertile flowers not persistent and sterile flowers             persistent.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 450             fertile flowers and about 27 sterile flowers per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 11.9 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 10.6 cm.         -   Fertile flowers.—Diameter: About 8 mm. Depth (height): About             6 mm. Flower buds: Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Broadly ovate. Color: Close to 155C flushed with             close to 62C. Petals: Arrangement: About five in a single             whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155C. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155A. Sepals: Not             observed. Pedicels: Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About             0.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 155A. Reproductive organs:             Stamens: Quantity per flower: About eight. Filament length:             About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther shape:             Reniform. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to             155A to 155B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             158C to 158D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: About             three. Pistil length: About 2.5 mm. Stigma shape: Flattened.             Stigma color: Close to 155A. Style length: About 2 mm. Style             color: Close to 155C. Ovary color: Close to 155A.         -   Sterile flowers.—Diameter: About 3.2 cm. Depth (height):             About 6 mm. Flower buds: Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Color: Close to 155C. Petals:             Arrangement: About four in a single whorl. Length: About             4 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 155D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 155C flushed             with close to 62C to 62D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 155C to 155D. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155C,             towards the apex, close to 64D. Sepals: Arrangement: About             four in a single whorl. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About             1.5 cm. Shape: Broadly obovate. Apex: Retuse to rounded.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 155A; towards the apex, close to             64C to 64D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155B;             distal half, flushed with close to 62C; apex, close to 64C             to 64D; with development color becoming closer to 187C to             187D. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155B; distal             half, flushed with close to 62C to 62D; apex, close to 64C             to 64D; with development color becoming closer to 198D,             close to 186A to 186B towards the margins. Pedicels: Length:             About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 155B.             Reproductive organs: Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             eight. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to             155C. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 158C to 158D. Pistils: Not observed.         -   Fruits/seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Hydrangea. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Hydrangea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about −20° C. to about     35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘Bokratorch’ as illustrated and described. 